


Professionals

by NeighborhoodCatGang



Series: We Love a Recovery [3]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, Lit and Cal are like chill siblings, Screwing around, they love and support eachother but also will definitely laugh when the other screws up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:34:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25812157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeighborhoodCatGang/pseuds/NeighborhoodCatGang
Summary: "I could probably launch you into the f*cking sun."
Series: We Love a Recovery [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872733
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	Professionals

Lit still liked to work alone, but he noticed that Emmie and Jo were making a point of assigning him to multi-person chores more often. Blessedly, they let him stick with his friends when they did. Meal preparation with Calypso quickly became his favorite. She liked to sing as she worked and always made Lit do the mincing (which she hated) and the onions (which made her eyes burn). They were peeling potatoes one afternoon, Lit humming along to her soft, clear singing when a memory took him. By now he had worked out the pattern. Memories of his father would be followed by fury, fighting or murders by remorse, hurting others without killing by guilt, and calm or pleasant memories by grief. The tiny part of his mind that always watched and waited - he thought of it as a pilot light - identified the scene. The Indianapolis Zoo, when Calypso and Apollo in his temporary mortal body had released the gryphons. He had said some pretty despicable things and worse, had intended to make good on them. Guilt churned in his gut. Nervously, he looked up at Calypso, who hadn’t paused her quiet song when his humming cut off. How could she stand to be in his presence? To work quietly and gently correct his pronunciation as she taught him her ancient music?

His hands stilled over the peeling bowl. “Did I ever apologize? For the zoo?”

“I know you’re sorry, Lit,” she looked up at him, too, but didn’t pause in her work.

“But did I ever say it?” he insisted.

“I- no, you never did.” Finally her hands stilled, too.

Shame threatened to outweigh guilt in his belly. “I’m sorry, Calypso. For everything. And for not saying it.”

She sighed. “Thank you. I appreciate that. But I forgave you a long time ago.” She resumed her brisk activity. Slowly, Lit followed her example.

“Seems I’m always behind the times.” The guilt had subsided quickly, and his words were now rueful instead of pained.

“Frankly, it does me no good to hate you. Sure, it took a while, and I’m sure Leo would tell you I had my share of tantrums about it, but I have better things to be upset about.”

“Like having to chop onions.”

“Exactly. They’re just the worst and it’s your mother’s fault.” She pointed her peeler at him in dire accusation.

“I thought she was about grains and stuff.”

“The harvest - includes onions.”

“Damn, guess I’m stuck with that job.”

“Yep.” They continued in silence for a while, before Lit noticed her eyeing him speculatively.

“What?”

“How high do you think you could throw me?”

“What?” her question seemed way out of left field. She repeated herself without clarification. He sized her up. “What kind of throw?”

“Like with a running start and you boost me as I jump.”

“Oh I could probably launch you into the fucking sun. Why?”

It was not until Calypso’s shoes left the shield strapped to Lit’s arm that he paused to consider how she was going to land. Thankfully, he hadn’t given it full power. The sorceress sailed upwards, hung in the air for a second, then dropped. She hit the floor with surprising grace and thankfully didn’t break anything.

“What happened to launching me into the sun?” She demanded.

“That was a test run. We should put down pads if you want to go any higher.” She looked like she was about to object, but Lit spoke over her, “I’m not going to look Jo in the face and explain why your skull is split open.” She called him a chicken shit, but helped to pull out some thick floor pads before trying again.

“Full power this time. Don’t be a baby.”

“I’ll give it eighty percent. I’d hate to have to peel you off the ceiling like a little titan bug.” She snorted, then stepped back for the approach. True to his word, he boosted with most - but not all - of the power he could muster. Calypso shrieked. From delight or panic, he couldn't tell, but he watched as she soared toward the catwalk. Then, at the apex of her flight, light suffused her form and she hovered as if frozen in time. Her eyes were closed, legs bent slightly, her braid hovered over her shoulder, and her shirt was lifted just enough to flash a slice of midriff. She looked weightless. Then the light flickered and she dropped back to earth. Again, her landing was graceful, but Lit was glad she hit the pads and not the floor.

“That was impressive.”

“Yeah! I have no idea what caused it though. I wasn’t really trying to do any magic.”

“So why exactly have I been tossing you around again?”

She shrugged and grinned at him. “It's fun.” He had to agree. Several runs later they hadn’t managed to replicate the floaty magic, but both were both flushed with exertion and laughing raucously. Calypso was short and slender enough that tossing her around was nearly effortless. She delighted in the simple fun of sailing through the air, and her excitement was infectious.

“Do you think you could catch me?”

“I’m sure I could. Whether we both survive is another matter.”

“There's mats down. Let’s try it!” Lit loosened the straps of his shield for easy ditching, then squared up again, still grinning. The stunt went off without a hitch. Calypso hit the shield, Lit boosted, then dropped it to the side, already tracking her arc. She twisted in the air, and he stepped beneath her in time for a smooth, solid catch. Calypso whooped and punched the air as he laughed again and spun her around.

“What on earth did I just watch?”

“Class-A professional screwing around the likes of which you, Leo Valdez, could never hope to achieve!” Calypso leveled a finger at him over Lit’s shoulder. Lit laughed so hard he nearly dropped her.

“Hey, sunshine, I screwed around and brought a dragon back to life.”

The sorceress slid regally out of Lit’s arms and brushed herself off. “The real art of screwing around lies in accomplishing absolutely nothing. Neither of you are true proficients, but Lit has more aptitude for it than I expected.” She kept a straight face and regal bearing throughout almost the whole speech, but cracked into giggles on the last word. Leo continued to stare as if he had never seen either of them before in his life.

“Anyways, dinner is nearly done, if you're not too busy screwing around to eat.”

“Excellent. Lit.” He knew without asking what to do and dropped to one knee so she could climb on piggyback. “Onward!” She pointed over his shoulder again toward the door. Finally Leo chucked too, and they left for dinner.


End file.
